Corn-harvester



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. F. WEAVER.

CORN HARVESTER.

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ZWfnzea-sea 72er I N. PETERS. PholwLIlhogm her, wasmn mn. l)v c.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSl1eet 2.

s. P. WEAVER.

CORN HARVESTER.

No. 299,303. Patented May 27, 1884.

2 Q a r J Wifneasea: Ira/2x557:

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v gciffoinej N. PETERS. PholwLiXhographar. Washington. n. cy

SOLOMON F. WVEAVER, OF NEAR PORTIS, KANSAS.

CORN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,303, dated May 27, 1884.

Application filed September 27, 1883. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SoLoMoN F. WEiivER, residing near Portis, in the county of Osborne and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GornHarvcsters, of which the following, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top or plan view of a cornharvester embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tongue or draft pole and of the means employed for shifting or tilting the main frame with reference thereto, the said frame being taken in section at the line a: m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section in the plane of the line at w of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side view of that side of the machine on which the cutting mechanism is arranged, and Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the harvester.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

A A represent the driving and supporting wheels of the harvester, and B is their axle, which is fixed, and which I prefer to make hollow or of a metal tube, and to insert solid spindles into the ends thereof. The wheels are loosely mounted upon their spindles, and O G are internal cogs attached to the wheels A A, and concentric with the axle 13. This axle serves as a part of the main frame.

D is the main frame of the harvester.

Eis the cutter-frame, the lower end of which is curved somewhat, as shown at a, to form a shoe. This frame is arranged vertically, and is capable of moving freely in a vertical direction between those bars of the frame D which serve as guides or ways for the frame E, as is clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and 4-.

b b are anti-friction rollers, one arranged on one side and the other on the other side of the frame E, but having bearings in the frame D. The function of these rollers is to prevent too great friction between the frames D and E, as the latter moves vertically in the former. It will be perceived that the frameE is located upon the right-hand side of the machine and in front of the axle B.

F is the cutter-blade or knife, which is applied to the front edges or ends of the shoes 0. a on the lower end of the frame E.

G is a sharp edged rotary disk or wheel, its

axle turning in bearings on the shoes a a, and arranged behind the knife or cutter F. The function of the rotary disk G is to out up any debris that may lie in its path, and also to split or break up the roots or stubble left after the stalks have been cut.

H H are rollers with their journals turning in bearings on the frame E, and I is the belt arranged about the said rollers,and carrying elevator projections c c, or carriers, applied to the said belt.

J is a shaft turning in bearings on the frame D, and having on its outer end a cog-wheel, K, engaging the internal gear, O, of the wheel A on that side of the machine on which the frame E is arranged; and L is a pulley-wheel on the inner end of the shaft J.

M M are pulley-wheels, one of which is attached to the spindle of the upper roller, H, and the other of which is attached to the lower part of the frame E.

N is a belt or cord passing once around the wheel or pulley L, and thence over the upper and under the lower wheel M. As the implement is drawn along,the wheel K is rotated by reason of its engagement with the internal gear, 0, on one of the supporting-wheels, and this rotation of the wheel K causes the rotation of the pulley L, by which means the roll ers M M are rotated, the cord or belt Nbeing driven by the wheel L. upper roller M actuates the elevator-belt I, the upper roller, on which it is mounted, being rigidly mounted 011 the shaft of the upper pulley M. NVhile the belt I is being actuated in this manner, the frame E may rise and fall without interfering with the movement of the belt I. In other words, the belt I will move continuously in such a direction as to elevate the cut corn in the manner hereinafter eX- plained, although the frame E rises and falls while the machine is being drawn over uneven ground, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

O is a lever pivoted to an upright forming a part of the frame D, and l? is a serrated segmental plate attached to the said upright.

Q, is a sliding spring-catch on the lever O. This catch is arranged to engage the notches of the plate P as the lever O is either raised or lowered.

It is a cord connecting one end of the lever This rotation of the O to the frame .Ef By withdrawing the catch Q, and depressing the handle of the lever O, the frame E may be raised or elevated, as may be desired, and it will be retained at that height by releasing the catch Q,which will then prevent a further descent of the frame; but, as the frame E is connected to the lever O by means of the cord R, the said frame may still rise and fall within certain limits while the harvester is working on uneven ground, but will be prevented from falling below the height at which it is suspended by means of the said lever. It will'also be perceived that as the knife F is attached to the frame E, the knife may be madeto run a greater or less distance above the ground when it is not desirable that the shoes a a should be incontact with the ground. I desire also to call attention to the fact that the knife F, owing to the curvature of the shoes aa, will be prevented from scooping into the soil. In practice I intend to attach a cord to the handle of the lever O and to arrange the other end of the said cord where it may be reached with facility by the operator or driver, passing the said cord over pulleys, if need be, and connect it to the catch Q; but, as Ihere make no claim to anyparticular way of rendering the lever O capable of being operated while the driver is in his position on the implement, I have not here shown a cord connected to the said lever for that purpose,

S and T are depending arms attached at their upper ends to the frame E, and the lower ends of which extend forward, and are turned over, as shown at d cl, and these extensions d (I serve as bearings for pulleys c .e, on which are endless belts e 6, respectively.

6 e are fingers projecting horizontally from the belts c e, and these fingers are inclined, and their belts are-arranged so as to converge toward each other, the said belts being nearest to each other at the ends which are nearest the cutter F, all of which is indicated in Figs. 1, 4, and 5.

U is a verticallyarranged but somewhat inclined guard, extending diagonally in front of the elevator-belt I, for the purpose of taking the stalks from the elevator and guiding their lower or butt ends toward the deliveryapron.

ff are guides applied to the inner forward corners of the bearings (2 cl, for the purpose of aiding in gathering or guiding the standing stalks in toward the traveling fingers e e, so

that they will meet the cutterF with certainty as the implement moves along through the field;

d d are ratchet-wheels on the shafts of the forward pulleys, e c, and d d are pawls arranged to engage the said ratchets.

A is an arm attached to the main frame,

and extending forward therefrom at a point about midway between the ends of the elevator I; and A is a spring-arm attached to, the outer end of the arm A, and extending in an inclined or diagonal direction back toward the frame E, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 1.

B is a yielding arm projecting forward from frame E.

B is a delivcry belt mounted on rollers turning in bearings on the frame D, and B is a spring-guard or yielding guide-arm attached to one corner of that part of the frame D which supports the endless delivery belt or apron B.

O is a guard attached to the frame D.

D is a caster attached to the frame D.

E is the tongue or draft-pole, the forward end of which turns on the axle B between collars g g on the said axle. .The tongue E is arched, as shown at h,so that the frame D maybe vibrated or tilted on the axle B.

F is a notched or serrated plate attached to the tongue E, and G is a lever rigidly at tached to a forked standard, h, on the frameD.

H is a yielding sliding bar or catch connected to the lever G. The inner end of the catch H is adapted and arranged to enter the notches in the plate or standard F.

I is a guide-wheel on the rear end of the tongue or pole E, and J is the it being understood that the stock K, to which the guide-wheel and the handle J are attached, is capable of being rotated or turned on its longitudinal axis in the tongue E.

' Lis the platform on which the driver stands, and M is the double-tree.

H is a pawl hinged to the catch-bar H, and I I are teeth on the lever G.

A J is a spring surrounding the bar H, and arranged between a shoulder, j, on the lever G, and a shoulder, 7c, on the bar H.

N is a stop or guard for the purpose hereinafter referred to.

O O are the dropper-arms. The dropperarms 0 O are attached to a rotary shaft, P, turning in suitable bearings, and having on one end a wheel or block, Q, rigidly attached guide-handle,

thereto, and in which is a V-shaped notch, t.

R is a yielding lever pivoted to the frame D, and having one end adapted and arranged to enter the notch i.

The gearing employed for actuating the dropper-arm, shaft, and the delivery belt or apron is somewhat the same as shown and described by me in an application for Letters Patent for corn-harvesters filed June 23, 1883, the location and general arrangement being to some extent modified, but demanding less particular description herein, as I do not here intend to claim the same broadly or specifically. I may also state that the dropper-arms herein referred to are controlled in substantially the same manner as shown and described in my former application above referred to.

In using the device the team is hitched to the double-tree, and the driver takes his position on the platform L. It will be observed that the guide-wheel handle J extends out over the platform L sufficiently to pass between the legs of the driver, so that the driver may control the guide-wheel with facility, and thus direct the course of the implement. The inclination of the frame D. is regulated by means of the lever G. On level ground the frame D will occupy a horizontal position; but in moving over uneven ground it will tilt vertically and adapt itself to such unevenness when the catch H is not in engagement with the plate F. The caster-wheel D may also be raised off the ground by tilting the frame in the manner described and permitting the catch H to engage the plate F. In order to permit this engagement, I disengage the pawl H from the teeth I, when the spring J will move the bar H forward and cause it to engage the notches in the plate F. I also adjust the frame E at the proper height by means of the lever 0, so that the knife F will be carried free of the ground when the implement is being transported to and from the field. I may here state that the knife F may be inclined or arranged diagonally, one end being somewhat in advance of the other, the right-hand end being arranged to strike the stalks first. As the machine moves along, the stalks are gathered in or guided toward the cutter by means of the guide-fingers ff and fingers e e, which latter are moved toward the knife by the pressure of the stalks against them. The tops of the standing stalks come in contact with the front side of the guard or arm 13, which, being yielding, is thus bent in toward the elevator I without breaking down the stalks, and as the said arm is also inclined, as shown, the stalks in each succeeding hill will easily pass back of the said arm, when the latter will return or spring forward to its original position, in which position it will assist in depositing the cut stalks upon the belt B and aid in preventing their tops from leaving the said belt, the arm 13 being first set at the proper inclination to suit the work to be done, all of which will hereinafter more fully appear. The spring A strikes the standing corn somewhat in advance of the knife, bending the stalks slightly forward and over toward the delivery-belt 13, thus causing the tops of the cut stalks to fall forward and against the spring-guide B, which prevents them, to a considerable extent, from falling farther in that direction, so that the cut stalks will fall forward along the guide B by reason of their gravity and the action of the spring A; and if the top ends are somewhat in advance of the cut ends, on the belt 13, the guide N will cause them to be deposited lengthwise in the dropper arms. In other words, the guide 13 lays the tops of the stalks over toward the guide or arm 13, which conducts the tops of the falling stalks" down upon the apron B, delivering them thereon at the forward righthand corner thereof. The butts or lower ends of the cut stalks are caught by the elevator projections c c and raised up against the inclined arm or guide U, by which means the lower ends of the stalks are taken from the elevator and thrown toward the delivery belt or apron B in such a position that the stalks will lie lengthwise across the delivery-belt, the butts of the stalks being toward the rear side or edge of the said belt and the tops toward the opposite side. The continued movement of the belt B toward the dropper-arms O 0 causes the stalks to be delivered upon the said arms, the guard N performing the function of preventing the stalks from being carried too far in the direction of the droppers. As soon as a bundle of stalks is delivered upon the dropper-arms, the weight of the bundle causes the dropper-arms to drop and deliver the bundle upon the ground. This dropping movement of the arms 0 0 occurs for the reason that the catch or lever B slips out of the notch 1', being pushed out by the weight of the stalks on the dropper-arms.v

The arms 0 O are then rotated, in the manner already referred to in my said former application, until the lever R again enters the notch t, by which means the dropper-arms will be retained in position to receive another bundle of stalks. The rotary cutter G will out what trash may lie in front of it, and it, as well as the shoes a a, will prevent the frame E, and hence the knife F, from descending when the supporting-wheels enter depressions in the ground as the implement travels over the field, and also assists the frame E to rise while passing over roots and through heavy hills of corn. The function of the wheels d d and pawls d d is to prevent the cut stalks from moving forward and pushing the fingers e 0 forward, for otherwise the said fingers might not hold the cut ends or butts of the stalks up to the elevator I.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a corn-harvester, of the knife or cutter F and the elevator H H I c c, all arranged substantially as described with relation to each other, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a corn-harvester, of the knife or cutter F, an elevator-belt, I 0, arranged behind the said knife, and the inclined guard U, arranged in front of the said elevator, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination,in a corn-harvesteiy of the inclined spring-guide A A,the guard or guide B, and the guide or arm 13', all arranged substantially as shown and described with relation to each other, the cutter and the delivery belt or apron, for the purpose of laying the tops of the out stalks on the delivery-belt.

4. The combination, in a corn-harvester, of the knife or cutter F, the elevator I c, the guide A A, the inclined guide or guard U, the guard or arm B, the guard or arm 13, and the delivery belt or apron B, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The combination, in a corn-harvester, of the knife or cutter F, the rollers e e, the endless belts e e, the fingers e e, the ratchets d d, the pawls d d, and the bearings cl d,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. The combination of the vertically-sliding frame E, the knife or 'cutter F, attached to' In testimony thatIclaim the foregoing as my 10 the said frame, an endless elevator-belt arown I hereto affix my signature in presence ranged behind the said knife and running on of two Witnesses.

rollers mounted in the said frame, the drivel wheel L, the pulleys M M, the driving cord SOLOMON F. WEAVER.

0r belt N, arranged as specified with relation K to the said drive-wheel and pulleys, and the Witnesses:

main frame of a corn-harvester, substantially as F. F. WVARNER,

and for the purposes specified. J. B. HALPENNY. 

